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At twelve metres long, Frech's pressurized casting machines are truly giant, but their construction requires great precision. The usual measuring instruments, such as bubble levels or alignment goggles, are sometimes no longer sufficient. This German company finally decided to trust the Faro Laser Tracker. From that moment on, there were no more problems, only solutions.
Oskar Frech GmbH - Co. KG is now one of the market leaders in hot-chamber pressure casting machines. These allow materials such as zinc or magnesium to flow. Among the parts manufactured are fittings, computer and mobile phone boxes, or toys, such as the world-renowned miniature railways in The City. In the highly competitive hot-chamber pressure casting machine market, the German company is in second place. These machines are used to make complete aluminum engine blocks, such as the Daimler D8 or structural body parts for Audi. Common products include gearboxes, dashboards and escalators.
Frech's machines are truly gigantic in size. The hot chamber variant can be up to 17 metres long, weigh up to 250 tonnes and produce a tightening force of 4,100 tonnes. The construction of a machine takes about 11 months and the various parts are transported to the customer by exceptional convoy. As a result, the journey to the final destination is a one-way trip: the return of defective machines to the production site in Schorndorf is totally excluded due to the huge transport costs. Moreover, it would not even be certain that the space available in the production workshop is sufficient. Before being assembled, the different parts of the machine must be stored in the customer's workshop in order to acclimatize. It is only after this period that it is verified that all parts fit together properly and that no signs of unnecessary wear appear. This procedure demonstrates that high accuracy is required when building these giant machines.
Frech has been using Faro's measuring arm since 2006. This year, officials ordered a new Faro measuring device, the Laser Tracker Vantage. This decision was mainly in response to the problems regularly encountered by a customer in the automotive sector with his machine. After switching to another mould, the symmetry of the machine no longer matched, the guide columns no longer accurately entered their housing and ended before. Frech technicians checked the machine several times, but were never able to find the source of the malfunction due to the complex assembly conditions. After the mould change, the columns continued to snable as they returned. The company finally decided to call on a Faro technician to discuss the dimensions to be measured and the practical combination of form and position tolerances. Thanks to Faro's Laser Tracker, he was able to quickly detect the source of the failure. This performance left a memorable impression on Frech and Faro's Laser Tracker Vantage immediately found itself on the current shopping list.
Since then, Faro's measurement systems have been used not only by Frech and its suppliers, but also by the customer when mounting the machine. The free space around the machine is often very small and there is little room for measurements and measurement equipment. That's why we're currently thinking about combining the measuring arm and the Laser Tracker into a new system, the TrackArm. Thus, Frech would have the main advantages of both devices, because the TrackArm combines the wide range and high accuracy of the Laser Tracker with the flexibility and reliability of the FaroArm. Not to mention the main advantage: the measuring arm can be repositioned quickly and to choose from in the Laser Tracker's measurement range. Thus, the arm stays continuously in the same coordinate system and allows to reach points outside the Tracker's field of view. Technicians can therefore take measurements very closely and thus control large elements without any problems. Frech's Head of Quality Management, Wolfgang Schaben, could no longer do without the Laser Tracker: "We have to find and resolve errors or inaccuracies on site because we transport the machine to the customer in exceptional convoy. There is no return possible. In the spring of 2013, Frech also launched a quality offensive with its suppliers and defined consistent and comprehensive measurement methods to put an end to repetitive quality problems. Faro's measuring devices are the recurring element of this strategy, as Frech requires that the parts provided be measured with Faro's devices as well. If this is not possible, the Schorndorf website offers a measurement service.
In the meantime, Frech performs measurements with speed and precision in each area of production. And these checks take place right from the moment of construction. This allows corrections to be made before it is too late and costly further interventions are required. "This process is crucial because the deviations of a single element can have an impact on the static of the whole machine," says Mr. Schonben. In such a case, the later manufactured items must then be adapted according to the discrepancies. This puzzle is expensive and can have serious implications for the combination of components.
Frech used to measure and adjust elements with the usual measuring devices, such as bubble levels, micrometers or alignment goggles. "Faro's measuring devices save us a lot of hours of work,"says Mr. Schoben. In addition, automotive customers are asking for detailed test reports. And thanks to Faro's systems, we generate them in the blink of an eye. »
About Oskar Fresh GmbH Co-Kg:
From the beginning, passion has played a significant role at Oskar Frech GmbH - Co. KG. And it is thanks to this that this allameande company, specialized in tool construction, and located in Schorndorf-Weiler near Stuttgart, has become one of the world's leading specialists in cold casting techniques with 700 employees. Frech's offer meets all customer requests. Companies offering zinc, magnesium or pressurized aluminum find custom solutions from Frech, from the production of small pressurized moulded parts to engine blocks and body parts.
Read more: https://www.faro.com/fr-fr/actualite-et-evenements/cas-d-application/2013/12/12/le-faro-laser-tracker-optimise-la-symetrie-des-machines-chez-oskar-frech
